It is more precious than rubies, more valuable than pearls and it glistens like diamonds. It is planet earth’s most precious resource. Call me spoiled, call me ignorant, but prior to coming on the Race; I never had a day without water. I never had to be concerned with rationing water, or the faucet not flowing out with good ol’ H2O, or never thought about having clean drinking water. But for the past 2 days here in Swaziland our precious friend has been cut off and our dripping faucet is no more.
I knew, with head knowledge, that water is essential to life. We cannot survive without it; absolutely cannot. But I didn’t realize it.
First, we all need to drink water. That is most important, if we don’t drink water then our bodies give out, heart stops beating, and we die. Morbid, but true.
We use water to shower. It’s hot here in Swaziland, the kind of hot where you skin sticks and your body sweats and you smell. No water, no showers. (Thank God for baby wipes.) Another thing, you can’t flush toilets. With 13 people and 2 bathrooms, let’s just say those toilets get real nasty, real fast. I joked with me teammates about digging a hole in our backyard to poo in. You also can’t wash your hands. Those fingers get grimy real fast. (Thank God for hand sanitizer.)
You also need water to wash dishes. Right now, our dishes are piling up in the sink and the ants are visiting the dishes. You need water to cook food. Water was needed for our dinner tonight. You also need water to wash clothes. Without washing we keep wearing the smelly, pit-stained t-shirt. You also need water to brush your teeth. And the next time you make a cup of joe or drink a cup of tea, don’t forget you need water.
Water.
Water.
Water.
It is vital. It’s the way of life.
As I sat outside reading my Bible, sipping on the precious bottle of water I bought from the store, I began to realize something.
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God.” Psalm 42: 1, 2
“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1
“Indeed, the water I will give him will become in him a spring of water, welling up to eternal life.” –Jesus in John 3:13
Why does God so often liken himself to water? Why does he so often use water as a metaphor? Why water?
Because Christ is essential, He is the way of life.
Your heart may be beating, you may have breath in your lungs, a grace-gift from God, but your soul, the very essence of who you are, without Him is dead.
It’s starting to storm outside right now, and I realize how gracious it is for the Lord to direct his heavens to spill water on us. Those little droplets of life are falling on us, nourishing his earth and nourishing us. Those little droplets of water are singing reminders of how much we need Him.
Without water, we die. Without Him, we die.
